One problem with conventional slicing means is that they can be unsafe. Whether slicing bread, cake, cheese or any other volume of matter, traditional knives or other cutting implements fall short because their use requires that the user be both careful and skilled. One slight mistake with the knife can leave the user injured. Accordingly, a need exists for a device that allows users to slice these sorts of foods without fear of injury and with little experience.
A related problem is that conventional slicing means produce uneven cuts. Similar to safety, one slight mistake leaves a user with an uneven slice or layer. This is problematic for the presentation as well as the functionality of the food. For instance, if a user is baking a layer cake that requires some sort of filling, when the user slices the cake to create the layers, one uneven horizontal slice can ruin the entire cake. If bad enough, this can force a user to start the layer cake from scratch which leads to substantial wastes of time and resources.
In commercial settings, it is typical for users to create layer cakes by using large knives. Using this technique, a user takes a frozen cake and uses a large knife to slice the frozen cake to create horizontal slices (i.e. layers). However, this is problematic for several reasons. First, it requires much more time to bake a cake and then freeze it to the extent necessary to slice layers using this method. Second, when using large knives of any kind, let alone slicing frozen blocks of cake, a user must be certain to employ a fairly high standard of care in order to avoid injuries. Additionally, a certain amount of skill and strength is involved in slicing frozen cake. This places much stress and responsibility on the user. Accordingly, a safer method and device is necessary to ensure commercial kitchens cease wasting time baking and freezing cakes as well as avoiding further unnecessary injuries in the workplace.
As for presentation, where certain foods require multiple layers, there is a need to ensure that multiple layers are easily achievable. In the modern age of ubiquitous consumer restaurant reviews, favorable ratings can spell the difference as to whether a restaurant survives, meaning that presentations leading to higher ratings are of the utmost concern to restaurants. As to layer cakes, a user must slice the cake into precise, uniform, and often thin layers. Because issues are often encountered when slicing thin, fragile food volumes even by skilled users, there is a need for a slicing apparatus that allows a user to produce foods such as a presentable layer cake, irrespective of skill or experience.
Elaborate and large machines have been designed to effect uniform slices as described above. However, these machines lack mobility and can be prohibitively expensive. Furthermore, these machines typically only slice in one direction (i.e. sliced bread). Accordingly, a need exists for a device that is relatively inexpensive, mobile, and has the ability to slice in more than one direction.
A related problem is that conventional slicing means are difficult to use for horizontal slices, vertical slices, and some combination thereof. Humans have consistently searched for a unique device that provides the ability to slice food or other volumes horizontally and vertically, with the same tool and the same slicing movement. For example, in the context of presentation, users often need to create cakes or other types of food with intricate shapes that are not uniformly horizontal or vertical but instead some combination thereof. Normally, if a user requires slices in multiple directions and planes, using a slicing machine is onerous due to time costs in setting up each slice. With a knife, all of the safety and care issues described above become a concern. Accordingly, a need exists for a device that provides users with the ability to effect slices in multiple directions and planes without having to waste time rearranging machinery or carefully moving a knife between slices.
Another related problem is sanitation. Whether using a knife or a cutting filament such as a cheese slicer, once a user has sliced one type of food (e.g. cheese), the user must then clean the cutting means in order to proceed to another medium. If at that time the user is not situated near a water source, soap, or other cleaning means, this can present an unnecessary obstacle in terms of time and energy costs before the user may proceed with slicing.
As society has become increasingly mobile, an emphasis on compact, mobile goods has become important with most products. Knives large enough to slice horizontal layers are impractical to easily carry around on one's person. The same issue to larger degree applies to slicing machines. Devices that employ cutting filaments (such as a wire cheese slicer) fall short in terms of mobility since they are incapable of fitting into a single storable mobile container. Accordingly, a need exists to provide a highly mobile and compact slicing apparatus.
To solve the various problems outlined above, many solutions have been proposed. For example, certain devices have been disclosed that include a blade and a single filament in order to slice a granular cake. These devices contain a cutter that adjustably fixes to abuse assembly for use on a flat surface. These devices use a cutting filament that is embedded in the sliceable matter to encircle the sliceable material after a cut has been made (see for example, PCT/AU87/00009). While this device is known, it has its drawbacks. First, if the user does not maintain complete control over the cake during cutting, the cake is cut unevenly or not at all if the cake moves. Second, the method of cutting involves several steps that place considerable responsibility on the user. In order to cut, the user must first form a marginal cut with the blade and then, insert the filament into the cut. Moreover, a user must use a locking screw to fix the vertical height before she can slice horizontal layers. In essence, there are three separate steps the user must get right before she can simply move the filament through a slice. Finally, the device requires the use of both a filament and a blade to effect slices.
Accordingly, a need exists for a device that can slice in one single step and more specifically, a device without much setup where the user can focus on simply maneuvering the filament for slices in the direction and plane the user desires. Further, a need exists for a device that allows a user to slice along multiple planes without having to utilize a locking mechanism. Finally, a need exists for a device that allows a user to slice in both the vertical and horizontal planes with only at least one single filament instead of additional cutting parts such as a serrated blade.
Another significant problem with other filament cutters is that typically the filament is spaced a fixed distance, meaning, span that the filament can cut is not easily adjustable, either horizontally or vertically (See U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,706). Essentially, the device contains one filament that can be drawn through a cake to insert a slice. However, vertical slices are not easily achievable and require a user to complete the horizontal slice before moving onto slices in a different plane. Further spacing between the filament and the member(s) to which it is affixed place a limit on the depth of the slice. For instance, the device disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,425,706 suffers from this limitation and consequently can only cut rectangular sections of limited depths.
Another significant problem with other devices that have used cutting filaments is with the sleeves that are intended to be used in tandem. In this approach, the cake is placed internal to the sleeve and the filament is attached at a guide fixed at a vertical position. To effect horizontal layers, the user moves the filament through the cake thereby providing a horizontal slice since the guide restricts the filament for going beneath that particular horizontal plane. This concept is limited to providing only horizontal slices as opposed to being able to slice horizontally, vertically, or some combination thereof. Further, the type of matter that can be sliced is dependent upon the form factor of the sleeve (i.e. it must fit within the given envelope). It should be noted that the shape of the sleeve is not easily adjustable.
Accordingly, it would be advantageous for an apparatus that can precisely slice multiple-shaped sections depending on the geometry of the volume and the user's needs. It would also be advantageous to provide an apparatus that allows a user to slice layers or sections irrespective of spacing constraints so that a user without experience or fear of injury can precisely and efficiently slice many different sized volumes. Moreover, there is a need for an apparatus that removes the need for use of any blades or is not dependent upon the pre-set tension of a filament. Finally, it would be advantageous to provide a slicer with a high degree of mobility that satisfies the foregoing needs and can be made relatively inexpensively.